Officer guilty in beating of black couple sentenced to probation

1:07 PM,
Mar. 15, 2013

FILE - Officer John Mailander shows how he was ready to use pepper gas as he answers a question during the trial of Octavius Bonds and Erin Evans at the Polk County Courthouse in Des Moines, Tuesday, March 17, 2009. Both were charged with interference with official acts, and Bonds also was arrested for assault on a peace officer. (John Gaps III/The Des Moines Register)

Written by

Jeff Eckhoff

Former Des Moines police officer John Mailander, one half of a police team whose 2008 beating of an African-American couple led to multiple court proceedings and a $500,000 legal settlement for the city, walked out of the Polk County Courthouse this morning on probation.

Mailander, who pleaded guilty to four felony charges more than a year ago with the expectation of prison, instead was spared incarceration by the lenient sentence imposed on former officer Mersed Dautovic, his more-violent coworker.

Assistant Polk County Attorney Jeff Noble said authorities more than a year ago agreed ...